Handle-latch

ABSTRACT

A latch-handle for securing a hinged gate in a gateway. The latch handle has a through opening for mounting the latch handle so that it may rotate about and slide vertically on a gatepost, a handle portion, a depending bolt member, and an edge with a recess formed to fit the edge of the gate. The bottom of the recess and the through opening are close to one another so that when the gate is in a closed position the edge of the gate extends closely alongside the gatepost. A bolt receiving member is mounted on the gatepost directly below the bolt member for receiving the bolt member to secure the gate in a closed position. A horizontal plane of symmetry extends through the handle latch so that it may be inverted to present the handle to an arbitrarily selected preferred access side for the gate.

United States Patent Nelson Apr. 15, 1975 HANDLE-LATCH [57] ABSTRACT[76] Inventor: Robert L. Nelson, 756 Orion Ln.,

Foster City, Calif 94404 A latch-handle for securing a hinged gate in agate- [22] Filed: Sept 14, 1973 way. The latch handle has a throughopening for mounting the latch handle so that it may rotate about PP397,353 and slide vertically on a gatepost, a handle portion, adepending bolt member, and an edge with a recess J's. CL formed t0 theedge Of the gate. The bottom Of the [51] Int. Cl. E05c 5/00 recess andthe through openmg are close to one of Search u 4, 7 other 50 that whenthe gate is in a closed position the 292/216 edge of the gate extendsclosely alongside the gatepost. A bolt receiving member is mounted onthe gate- [56] References Cited post directly below the bolt member forreceiving the UNITED STATES PATENTS bolt member to secure the gate in aclosed position. A horizontal plane of symmetry extends through the1,258,624 3/1918 Swank 292/216 handle latch so that it may be invertedto present the handle to an arbitrarily selected preferred access side3:774:94? 11/1973 Duncin 292/68 for the gate" Primary Examiner-MarionParsons, Jr. Assistant ExaminerWilliam E. Lyddane Attorney, Agent, orFirmFlehr, Hohbach, Test, Albritton & Herbert 7 Claims, 8 DrawingFigures PATENTEDAPR 1 53975 3871738 SiiET 1 0F 2 PATENTEDAPR I 51975sumap g F|G.7A

FIG. 4

FIG. 7B

HANDLE-LATCH BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to alatch and handle for mounting on a preferred access side of a gate. andmore particularly to such a latch and handle which allows the edge ofthe gate to assume a position close to the gatepost to minimize theopening therebetween.

In the past latches for hinged gates in chain link fences have been ofthe type which required a considerable gap between the gatepost and thegate for the mechanism forming the latch. Moreover. the latch handleprojected toward the side of the gatepost as determined by the side ofthe gateway on which the gate was hinged. This was not always thepreferred access side for the gate. This could amount to someinconvenience when it was necessary to lock the gate as a combination orkey operated locking device might be on the side of the gate oppositethat from which the gate was most often approached. The wide spacebetween the gate- I post and the edge of the gate was often so largethat small pets and children might find their way through even when thegate was in the secured position. There is. therefore. a need for alatch with a handle for use with gates in chain link fences which may beinstalled with the handle and locking side on an arbitrarily selectedpreferred access side of the gate. and which allows the edge of the gateto run closely alongside the gatepost for adequately confining smallpets and children.

SUMMARY AND OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The latch-handle disclosed herein isfor mounting on a gatepost which rises on one side of a gateway having ahinged gate disposed therein which swings between an open and a closedposition. The latch includes means for engaging an outermost swingingedge of the gate as it approaches the closed position. The engagingmeans has a portion extending into the gateway containing a recesshaving a bottom surface for contacting the edge of the gate. The bottomof the recess is formed close to the gatepost and the gate edge rotatesthe engaging means on the gatepost to a secured position when the gateis closed assuming a position closely alongside the gatepost. Theengaging means has a handle and a depending bolt member on a preferredaccess side. A bolt receiving member is mounted on the gatepost on thepreferred access side. The engaging means has a plane of symmetrypassing horizontally through the handle so that the engaging means maybe inverted to present the handle and depending bolt member to eitherside of the gatepost thereby allowing arbitrary selection of thepreferred access side for the gate.

In general it is an object of the present invention to provide alatch-handle for a gate in a chain link fence which will hold the gatein a secured position with the edge of the gate running closelyalongside the gatepost.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a latch-handle fora gate in a chain link fence which may be mounted with the handleportion extending on either side ofa gatepost for arbitrary selectionofa preferred access side for the gate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a latch-handle fora gate in a chain link fence which accepts the edge of the gate as itswings from the open to the closed position and provides a bolt whichdrops through a bolt receiver for securing the gate as it reaches theclosed position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a latch-handle fora gate in a chain link fence which may be locked in the secured positionon an arbitrarily chosen preferred access side of the gate.

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from thefollowing description in which the preferred embodiment has been setforth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofthe handle-latch locked in the closed position.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the handle-latch in the unlockedclosed position.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the handle-latch in the unlockedopen position.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the handle-latch locked in theclosed position.

FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view of the handle-latch in the closedposition.

FIG. 6 is a sectional plan view of the handle-latch in the openposition.

FIG. 7A is a top view of the bolt receiver for the handle-latch.

FIG. 7B is a side elevational view of the bolt receiver for thehandle-latch.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The embodiment disclosed here isdescribed in terms of a handle-latch for a gate in a chain link fencefor convenience. but there is no intent to limit the utility of thehandle-latch solely to use with gates in chain link fences. Theapplication to uses with gates and fences of other types will be obviousto those skilled in the art in light of the following disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1 a gatepost II is shown disposed in a generallyvertical position defining the edge of a gateway 12 containing a hingedgate 13 having an outermost swinging edge 14. The gatepost 11 has means16 mounted thereon for engaging the gate 13 at the outermost swingingedge 14. Means 16 has a portion 17 extending into the gateway 12. Means16 is formed with an opening 18 extending therethrough formed to acceptthe gatepost 11 for mounting thereon and for sliding and rotating motionthereon. A bolt member 19 depends from engaging means 16 and is adaptedto pass through a bolt receiving member 21. Bolt member 19 includes ahole 22 located near the end thereof through which a locking device suchas lock 23 may be inserted for preventing vertical motion of means 16 ongatepost 11.

Turning to FIG. 2 the engaging means 16 is shown moved vertically upwardon the gatepost ll. Engaging means 16 is moved'to a position where thebolt member 19 has its lower edge at the-same level as a horizontal edge24 of bolt receiving member 21. Turning to FIG. 3 it may now be seenthat engaging means 16 may be rotated on the gatepost 11 when in theposition shown in FIG. 2. The angle of rotation of engaging means 16 islimited by stops 26 projecting from the horizontal edge 24 of boltreceiving member 21.

FIG. 4 shows engaging means 16 mounted on gatepost 11 having the boltmember 19 extending through the bolt receiving member 21 with a lockingmeans 23 extending through the hole 19. The locking means 23 is on apreferred access side 11A of gatepost 11.

FIG. shows engaging means 16 formed of two parts 16A and 168. When thetwo parts 16A and 16B are placed together as shown. the opening 18 isformed through the means for engaging 16. Part 168 has an L- shapedsection 27 extending from the opening 18 having holes 28 extendingtherethrough. Part 16A also has an extension 29 from opening 18 havingholes 31 extending therethrough in a position matching the holes 28.Extensions 27 and 29 form a space 32 therebetween for receiving boltmember 19. Bolt member 19 has holes 33 therethrough in a patternmatching the pattern of holes 31 and 28. Bolts 34 extend through holes28, 31 and 33 to secure parts 16A and 168 together surrounding gatepost11 and to secure bolt member 19 depending from engaging means 16. Ahandle portion 36 is formed on part 168 on the preferred access side 11Aof gatepost 11.

As seen in FIG. 6 engaging means 16 is capable of rotation aboutgatepost 11 as the outermost swinging edge 14 of gate 13 is moved to theopen position. Engaging means 16 has a recess 37 formed in the portion17 extending into the gateway 12. A bottom surface 38 is located inrecess 37. There is a web 39 extending across the recess 37 at thebottom surface 38.

FIG. 7A shows the bolt receiving member 21 which has a channel 41passing therethrough. Bolt receiving member 21 is also mounted on thepreferred access side 11A of gatepost 11. Horizontal edge 24 supportsengaging means 16 above the bolt receiving member 21 when in anunsecured position by contacting the bottom surface of bolt member 19.Horizontal edge 42 contacts the engaging means 16 for supporting thesame on gatepost 11 when the bolt member 19 extends through channel 41defining a secured position. In this fashion engaging means 16 isprevented from sliding down gatepost 11 in both the secured position asshown in FIG. 5 and the unsecured position as shown in FIG.

Turning now to the operation of the latch handle device disclosed hereinreference is made to FIG. 1 to define a horizontal plane of symmetry 43through the engaging means 16. The symmetry in the engaging means 16about plane 43 allows the engaging means 16 to be installed on gatepost11 so thatthe handle member 36 and bolt member 19 may be placed eitheron the me ferred access side 11A of gatepost 11 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5and 6, or on the opposite side therefrom should the preferred accessside 11A be arbitrarily selected to be on the opposite side. Uponselection of the preferred access side 11A parts 16A and 16B of engagingmeans 16 are assembled to surround gate-post 11 and bolt member 19 isattached by means of bolts 34. Opening 18 is sufficiently oversizedcompared with the outside dimensions of gatepost 11 to allow engagingmeans 16 to move rotationally and vertically with respect to gatepost11. Bolt receiving member 21 is attached by means of a fastener such aspin 44 to gatepost 11 on preferred access side 11A directly below theposition of bolt member 19 when engaging means 16 is in the closedposition.

When gate 13 is in the closed position as in FlG. 5,-

bolt member 19 passes through channel 41 securing engaging means 16 andgate 13 in the closed position. Engaging means 16 may be liftedvertically by handle 36 so that bolt member 19 clears channel 41, andmay then be rotated away from or toward handle 36 to open gate 13 in anoutwardly or an inwardly direction as de-. sired. Engaging means 16 issupported on the end of bolt member 19 in the open position as itcontacts horizontal surface 24. To close gate 13 the gate is rotatedtoward the closed position where it contacts recess 37 rotating engagingmeans 16 until bolt member 19 overlies channel 41 and drops through,securing the gate 13 in the closed position.

Outermost swinging edge 14 of gate 13 is brought as close as possible togatepost 11 to diminish the space therebetween by removing all or aportion of web 39 in the bottom of recess 37 so that the outermost edge14 just contacts the bottom 38 of recess 37 when in the closed position.In this fashion the opening and the closing of gate 13 is effected,latching in the closed position is performed, and the edge 14 of gate13, is positioned as closely as possible to gatepost 11 whenin a closedposition.

1 claim:

I. A gate handle latch for mounting ona gatepost which defines one edgeof a gateway having a hinged I gate disposed therein which is adapted toswing .between an open and closed position relative to the gatewaywherein the gate has one edge disposed in juxtaposition with thegatepost when in the closed position' comprising 7 means for engagingthe one edge of the gate, said means having an opening adapted tosurroundthe gateposLso that said means for engaging may slide verticallytherealong and rotate thereon.

a bolt member attached to one side of said means for engaging.

a bolt receiver adapted for fixed mounting on the gatepost below saidmeans for engaging and having a channel therethrough for receiving saidbolt member,

said means for engaging having a recess therein spaced from where saidbolt member is attached for accepting the one edge of the gate as it.approaches the closed position,

said means for engaging also having a horizontal plane'of symmetrypassing therethrough, whereby said one side thereof may by positioned ona pre ferred access side of the gatepost, and said bolt member isadapted to be positioned in a downwardly extending direction to engagesaidbolt receiver on said preferred access side of the gatepost saidrecess having a bottom surface proximate to said opening, said bottomsurface including a web extending from side to side in said recesswhereby 3. A gate handle latch as in claim 2 wherein said bolt memberdepends from said one side, and said bolt receiver is in a positionbelow said handle for receiving said bolt member. whereby said engagingmeans is stopped from rotating when said bolt member enters through saidchannel and has a hole through the lower end thereof, together withmeans for locking formed to pass through said hole to prevent withdrawalof said bolt member.

6. A gate handle latch as in claim 1 wherein the gate may swing openinwardly or outwardly and wherein said engaging means has a broadsurfaced portion on said one side providing a handle for moving saidengaging means,

whereby said handle is also on said preferred access side of thegatepost when said bolt member is so positioned.

said bolt member depending from said one side and said bolt receiverbeing positioned below said handle for receiving said bolt memberwhereby when said bolt member is received by said bolt receiver saidmeans for engaging is stopped from rotating and from sliding down thegatepost,

a stop on each side of said channel through said bolt receiver forlimiting rotation of said engaging means. whereby when the gate isreturned from the inwardly or outwardly open to the closed position theedge of the gate contacts the side of said recess. thereby rotating saidengaging means until said bolt overlies said channel and fallstherethrough.

7. A gate handle latch for mounting on a gatepost which defines one edgeof a gateway containing a gate for swinging between an open and closedposition, the gate having a preferred access side and an outermostswinging edge in juxtaposition with the gatepost when in the closedposition. comprising means mounted for rotation on the gatepost forengaging the outermost swinging edge of the gate and having a securedand an unsecured position said engaging means having a side disposed inthe gateway and an opening formed therein to encompass the gatepost forsliding movement vertically thereon between said secured and unsecuredpositions.

a handle formed on one side of said engaging means for moving saidengaging means between said secured and unsecured positions,

a bolt member attached to said one side of said engaging means,

a bolt receiver adapted for fixed mounting on the preferred access sideof the gatepost and having a channel for receiving said bolt member tohold said engaging means in said secured position,

said engaging means having a U-shaped recess therein on the sidedisposed in the gateway forming a guide for accepting the outermostswinging edge as the gate approaches the closed position,

a horizontal plane of symmetry passing through said engaging means atsaid handle whereby said engaging means may be mounted in either of twopositions so that said handle always is on the preferred access side andsaidbolt member is adapted to be positioned in a downwardly extendingdirection to engage said bolt receiver on said preferred access side,

whereby when the gate is installed and the gate approaches the closedposition the outermost swinging edge contacts one side and the closedend of said recess thereby rotating said engaging means until said boltmember is aligned overlying said bolt receiver channel for insertiontherein to assume said secured position.

1. A gate handle latch for mounting on a gatepost which defines one edgeof a gateway having a hinged gate disposed therein which is adapted toswing between an open and closed position relative to the gatewaywherein the gate has one edge disposed in juxtaposition with thegatepost when in the closed position comprising means for engaging theone edge of the gate, said means having an opening adapted to surroundthe gatepost, so that said means for engaging may slide verticallytherealong and rotate thereon, a bolt member attached to one side ofsaid means for engaging, a bolt receiver adapted for fixed mounting onthe gatepost below said means for engaging and having a channeltherethrough for receiving said bolt member, said means for engaginghaving a recess therein spaced from where said bolt member is attachedfor accepting the one edge of the gate as it approaches the closedposition, said means for engaging also having a horizontal plane ofsymmetry passing therethrough, whereby said one side thereof may bypositioned on a preferred access side of the gatepost, and said boltmember is adapted to be positioned in a downwardly extending directionto engage said bolt receiver on said preferred access side of thegatepost said recess having a bottom surface proximate to said opening,said bottom surface including a web extending from side to side in saidrecess, whereby when said gate is erected and said web is removed tojust clear the one edge of the gate when the gate is closed, and saidengaging means is lowered, said bolt member passes through said channelfixing the gate in the closed position, and the one edge of the gate isproximate to the gatepost providing a minimal opening therebetween.
 2. Agate handle latch as in claim 1 wherein said engaging means has a broadsurfaced portion on said one side providing a handle for imparting saidvertical and rotational motion.
 3. A gate handle latch as in claim 2wherein said bolt member depends from said one side, and said boltreceiver is in a position below said handle for receiving said boltmember, whereby said engaging means is stopped from rotating when saidbolt member enters said bolt receiver, and is prevented from slidingdown the gatepost.
 4. A gate handle latch as in claim 3 wherein saidbolt receiver has a stop spaced from each side of said channel forcontacting said bolt member and limiting rotation of said engaginemeans, whereby when the gate is returned from the open to the closedposition said recess is in position so that the edge of the gate enterssaid recess.
 5. A gate handle latch as in claim 1 wherein said boltmember extends below said bolt receiver after passing through saidchannel and has a hole through the lower end thereof, together withmeans for locking formed to pass through said hole to prevent withdrawalof said bolt member.
 6. A gate handle latch as in claim 1 wherein thegate may swing open inwardly or outwardly and wherein said engagingmeans has a broad surfaced portion on said one side providing a handlefor moving said engaging means, whereby said handle is also on saidpreferred access side of the gatepost when said bolt member is sopositioned, said bolt member depending from said one side and said boltreceiver being positioned below said handle for receiving said boltmember whereby when said bolt member is received by said bolt receiversaid means for engaging is stopped from rotating and from sliding downthe gatepost, a stop on each side of said channel through said boltreceiver for limiting rotation of said engaging means, whereby when thegate is returned from the inwardly or outwardly open to the closedposition the edge of the gate contacts the side of said recess, therebyrotating said engaging means until said bolt oVerlies said channel andfalls therethrough.
 7. A gate handle latch for mounting on a gatepostwhich defines one edge of a gateway containing a gate for swingingbetween an open and closed position, the gate having a preferred accessside and an outermost swinging edge in juxtaposition with the gatepostwhen in the closed position, comprising means mounted for rotation onthe gatepost for engaging the outermost swinging edge of the gate andhaving a secured and an unsecured position said engaging means having aside disposed in the gateway and an opening formed therein to encompassthe gatepost for sliding movement vertically thereon between saidsecured and unsecured positions, a handle formed on one side of saidengaging means for moving said engaging means between said secured andunsecured positions, a bolt member attached to said one side of saidengaging means, a bolt receiver adapted for fixed mounting on thepreferred access side of the gatepost and having a channel for receivingsaid bolt member to hold said engaging means in said secured position,said engaging means having a U-shaped recess therein on the sidedisposed in the gateway forming a guide for accepting the outermostswinging edge as the gate approaches the closed position, a horizontalplane of symmetry passing through said engaging means at said handlewhereby said engaging means may be mounted in either of two positions sothat said handle always is on the preferred access side and said boltmember is adapted to be positioned in a downwardly extending directionto engage said bolt receiver on said preferred access side, whereby whenthe gate is installed and the gate approaches the closed position theoutermost swinging edge contacts one side and the closed end of saidrecess thereby rotating said engaging means until said bolt member isaligned overlying said bolt receiver channel for insertion therein toassume said secured position.